Newreader question

[Tim Slattery]

I use a very old version of Agent also. It's on my XP machine and I
never use it for binaries, it can't handle the bigger groups. But,
it's Free Agent and a very good newsreader.

I haven't used Free Agent for many years. I've got Agent 6.0 now, but
I *never* remember *any* version of Agent having trouble with binary
postings. The current version, at least, automatically combines and
decodes multi-part postings, you don't have to do anything at all. And
it will automatically split long attachments into parts, you don't
have to do anything except tell it how long to make the parts.

Hmm...maybe that's one of the capabilities they didn't include in the
free version.

 

[Brian Matthews]

I haven't used Free Agent for many years. I've got Agent 6.0 now, but
I *never* remember *any* version of Agent having trouble with binary
postings. The current version, at least, automatically combines and
decodes multi-part postings, you don't have to do anything at all. And
it will automatically split long attachments into parts, you don't
have to do anything except tell it how long to make the parts.

Hmm...maybe that's one of the capabilities they didn't include in the
free version.

Well, Free Agent used to work with binary groups, until they got so
huge. Once they started getting really big, about 6 to 8 years ago,
Free Agent would freeze up trying to D/L headers. Like I said, I just
use it for a newsreader in discussion groups. I tried the newer
version several years ago but I really didn't like the user interface.
If I ever need binaries, I use newsleecher now. But that's with this
XP machine. I haven't tried a newsreader on my new Windows 7 64 bit
machine. Gonna have to start researching that. : )

Really, I'm new to this group and new to Windows 7. So I've been doing
as much reading here (and with Google) as I can to try and learn this
new OS. I really don't want to ask a ton of questions that have
already been addressed. It annoys people. And Google can answer <most>
of my questions, you just have to be careful what you believe. But
I've always been <pretty> good separating fact from fiction. : )

I never had Vista, so going from XP to 7 is a challenge, at least for
me.

 

[Char Jackson]

I haven't used Free Agent for many years. I've got Agent 6.0 now, but
I *never* remember *any* version of Agent having trouble with binary
postings. The current version, at least, automatically combines and
decodes multi-part postings, you don't have to do anything at all. And
it will automatically split long attachments into parts, you don't
have to do anything except tell it how long to make the parts.

Hmm...maybe that's one of the capabilities they didn't include in the
free version.

I assumed he was talking about the limit on the number of headers
Agent can handle per group. My memory is hazy, but I think 1.93 could
handle a maximum of 1 million headers per group while 2.0 increased
that to 8 million headers per group. That was a lot back then, (10+
years ago), but these days it's not nearly enough to handle the bigger
groups.

 

[Jack]

I'm contemplating upgrading to Windows 7 (using XP at the present) and I am
an avid News Group aficionado. I know that Windows 7 does not have Outlook
Express any longer, which had, in my opinion, a fine News Reader. I would
guess that Win 7 uses Outlook as its Email client ... the question is, is
there a NewsReader incorporated ???
I use Outlook at work, and there is a News Reader option, but it relies on
the Outlook Express version of Win XP.

If there is no Newsreader available in Win 7, what would be my options,
other than going with a decade old Forte Agent alternative.

TIA,

Sam Hagen

Outlook alone is not a dedicated newsreader. Windows 7 does not have
Outlook Express as XP did nor Windows Mail as Vista did. The successor
in Windows 7 is Windows Mail Live which while storing messages on the
local machine is at heart a cloud application. Meaning messages and
addresses are duplicated to remote server with all that implies. Windows
Mail Live will absorb any webmail accounts you have such as Hotmail if
you wish along with POP3 mail from your ISP and NNTP but the usenet
reader is not as good as something third part like Mozilla Thunderbird
or the newsreader in Opera. I use Thunderbird for usenet on 64-bit
Windows 7 Home Premium and the experience is very similar to Outlook
Express. To bring all your messages and configuration from XP first
install Thunderbird on XP. From Thunderbird import everything from
Outlook Express, install MozBackup and backup the XP Thunderbird
profile. Install Thunderbird on Windows 7, copy the backup file from XP
to Windows 7 and install MozBackup there and use it to restore the
profile copy made in XP. Hope this is of some help.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/thunderbird.html
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/mozillabackup.html

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/opera.html

 

[Ken Blake]

Outlook alone is not a dedicated newsreader.

A clarification (perhaps you understand this, but it isn't clear from
your message, so just in case...):

Outlook is not only not a "dedicated newsreader," it isn't any kind of
newsreader at all. No version of Outlook has ever had any newsreading
capability.

 

[Jack]

in message

A clarification (perhaps you understand this, but it isn't clear from
your message, so just in case...):

Outlook is not only not a "dedicated newsreader," it isn't any kind of
newsreader at all. No version of Outlook has ever had any newsreading
capability.

I seem to recall that Outlook 2003 could be customised to read newsgroups
but as the OP mentions this may have been dependant on OE and was probably
an awful thing into the bargain but the working interface was certainly
Outlook. I was trying to avoid saying Outlook was not a newsreader when the
OP said he uses it to read news at work.

 

[relic]

in message

I seem to recall that Outlook 2003 could be customised to read newsgroups
but as the OP mentions this may have been dependant on OE and was probably
an awful thing into the bargain but the working interface was certainly
Outlook. I was trying to avoid saying Outlook was not a newsreader when
the OP said he uses it to read news at work.

Outlook actually called Outlook Express for reading Newsgroups. I changed
the Title bar to read Outlook.

 

[relic]

Outlook actually called Outlook Express for reading Newsgroups. I changed
the Title bar to read Outlook.

I = It

 

[Jack]

Outlook alone is not a dedicated newsreader.

Achieved by an add-in type affair:

http://www.office-outlook.com/u/mapilab/mapilab-nntp-for-outlook.gif

I stopped using Outlook when it went all brilliant blue and I realised the
MS Aesthetics dept were drinking way too much gin.

 

[Ken Blake]

in message

I seem to recall that Outlook 2003 could be customised to read newsgroups

Nope, at least not with out adding third-party software to it. By
itself, as I said, no version of Outlook has ever had the ability.

but as the OP mentions this may have been dependant on OE

Yes. Back in the XP days, Outlook called Outlook Express and used it
as its newsreader. That confused many people who mistakenly believed
that Outlook was doing the news reading tasks.

and was probably an awful thing into the bargain

I don't think so. Outlook Express wasn't the best of newsreaders, but
despite what many people thought, I didn't think it was terrible.

but the working interface was certainly Outlook.

Nope, definitely not.

I was trying to avoid saying Outlook was not a newsreader when the
OP said he uses it to read news at work.

I can't remember what he said, but he probably misused the name
"Outlook" for "Outlook Express," as many did (and still do).

 

[Roy Smith]

Outlook actually called Outlook Express for reading Newsgroups. I
changed the Title bar to read Outlook.

You could also accomplish the same by using the /outnews switch which
would make OE startup as a newsreader only.


--

Roy Smith
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Thunderbird 3.1.9
Sunday, March 13, 2011 9:57:02 PM

 

[Walter Goldschmidt]

Windows 7 comes with Windows Live Mail. I've been using it since it first
came out. 2 or 3 years ago.

"Roy Smith" wrote in message

Outlook actually called Outlook Express for reading Newsgroups. I
changed the Title bar to read Outlook.

You could also accomplish the same by using the /outnews switch which
would make OE startup as a newsreader only.


--

Roy Smith
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Thunderbird 3.1.9
Sunday, March 13, 2011 9:57:02 PM

 

[Gordon]

Windows 7 comes with Windows Live Mail.

No it doesn't. Your Vendor may have installed it for you, but if you buy
a copy of Windows 7 it comes with NO email client AT ALL....

 

[KCB]

Windows 7 comes with Windows Live Mail. I've been using it since it first
came out. 2 or 3 years ago.

Windows 7 does not include any mail or news client. If it was included with
your computer, then it was installed by the OEM.

 

[Roy Smith]

Windows 7 comes with Windows Live Mail. I've been using it since it
first came out. 2 or 3 years ago.

in message



You could also accomplish the same by using the /outnews switch which
would make OE startup as a newsreader only.

No I'm sorry but you're mistaken. Windows 7 does not come with any
email or newsreader software. IF you bought a PC that had Windows Live
Mail or Windows Live Essentials Suite then it was installed by the PC
manufacturer.


--

Roy Smith
Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Thunderbird 3.1.9
Saturday, March 19, 2011 1:25:11 AM

 

[Alex Clayton]

No I'm sorry but you're mistaken. Windows 7 does not come with any email
or newsreader software. IF you bought a PC that had Windows Live Mail or
Windows Live Essentials Suite then it was installed by the PC manufacturer.

Since I am seeing more people saying they bought a new PC and the Live
Suite was already there, I would guess many of the bigger manufacturers
were tired of getting calls about how something was “wrong” with the OS
because the mail program was missing. I am sure a lot of them felt it
was easier to just install it at the factory that to deal with the angry
calls.

 

[Ken Blake]

Windows 7 comes with Windows Live Mail. I've been using it since it first
came out. 2 or 3 years ago.

Windows 7 does *not* come with Windows Live Mail, nor with any other
e-mail program or newsreader. Windows Live Mail is a free downloadable
program from Microsoft.

If your Windows 7 computer came with Windows Live Mail, it was because
your OEM manufacturer chose to install it on your drive.